Astronaut Jasmin Moghbeli captured from ISS central Mali and the Sahara Desert. Bamako, the capital city is shown to the right of the image.
Mali is a landlocked country in West Africa with 22 million population. The country’s southern part, where the majority of inhabitants live, is in the Sudanian savanna and both the Niger and Senegal rivers pass through. 1/3 of the country is covered by the Sahara Desert. The country’s economy centers on agriculture and mining. Its most prominent natural resources include gold, of which it is the third largest producer in Africa, as well as salt. Mali was once part of three extremely powerful and wealthy West African empires that controlled trans-Saharan trade: the Ghana Empire (for which Ghana is named), the Mali Empire (for which Mali is named), and the Songhai Empire. At its peak in 1300, the Mali Empire was the wealthiest country in Africa and one of the wealthiest on earth, with its 14th-century emperor Mansa Musa believed to be one of the wealthiest individuals in history.
The local scenery on the ground is as follows.
Reference: Jasmin Moghbeli’s Tweet
See earthview photo gallery: LiVEARTH